Jalen Johnson fuels a crucial road win for the Hawks, propelling Atlanta closer to .500 while hindering Miami's playoff push.
The Atlanta Hawks arrived in South Florida short on size and long on urgency, delivering one of their most complete road performances of the season in a 127-115 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.
Atlanta improved to 25-27, inching closer to the .500 mark while dealing a meaningful blow to Miami’s positioning in the Eastern Conference. The Heat fell to 27-25 and remain in a crowded cluster battling for seeding around the play-in line, making the result a swing game with tangible implications for both teams.
Fresh off his first All-Star selection, Jalen Johnson showed no signs of slowing down. Johnson recorded his ninth triple-double of the season, finishing with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists while dictating much of Atlanta’s tempo. He was aggressive early, repeatedly attacking the paint and forcing Miami’s defense to collapse, which opened up passing lanes and perimeter looks throughout the night.
Johnson downplayed the personal milestone afterward, keeping the focus on the result.
“It only matters when we win,” Johnson said on the FanDuel Sports broadcast. “So that’s the main thing. We got the win tonight. So that’s what I’m most happy about.”
Atlanta’s ability to win without its primary centers defined the night. With Onyeka Okongwu sidelined by a dental fracture and Kristaps Porziņģis scratched due to illness, the Hawks leaned heavily on their depth and ball movement. The approach paid off, as Atlanta’s bench poured in 68 points and consistently tilted the game during key stretches.
CJ McCollum led the second unit with 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 6-of-9 from three-point range. His shot-making steadied Atlanta during moments when Miami threatened to shift momentum. Nickeil Alexander-Walker complemented that effort with 19 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, providing secondary playmaking and defensive versatility.
Johnson highlighted the bench’s influence as a turning point.
“They were our spark tonight,” he said. “CJ came in ready. Luke came in ready. Mo, everybody that came off the bench, they were huge for us tonight, and they helped us build that lead early on.”
The Hawks were tested coming out of halftime following an extended ceremony honoring Miami’s 2006 NBA championship team. The Heat opened the third quarter on a 19-9 run, trimming Atlanta’s lead to as few as five points. Rather than unravel, the Hawks responded with composure, closing the quarter on a 21-12 run behind McCollum’s shot-making and improved defensive execution.
Head coach Quin Snyder emphasized discipline on both ends as the foundation of the response, particularly given Atlanta’s lack of size.
“We just have to be committed to the things that make us successful,” Snyder said. “We defended and did a good job of staying home, not giving up a lot of threes. We were able to generate threes because we did get in the paint.”
Snyder also pointed to rebounding focus as a critical element against a perimeter-oriented opponent.
“We’ve got to keep staying focused on our defensive boards, particularly when teams really crash from the perimeter,” he said.
Atlanta received important contributions from players pressed into expanded roles. Asa Newell provided an early lift, while Mouhamed Gueye and Christian Koloko combined to anchor the interior by committee, allowing the Hawks to maintain defensive integrity despite being undersized.
Reflecting on those efforts, Snyder credited the group’s connectivity.
“I thought Asa gave us a really big lift in the first half, and then Mo came back in the second half and did a great job defensively,” Snyder said. “So I thought we were connected tonight as a team.”
The win marked just Atlanta’s fifth victory in its last 19 trips to Miami, underscoring the significance of closing out a game in a building that has historically posed problems. With momentum in hand and the trade deadline approaching, the Hawks now return home to host the Utah Jazz on Thursday, looking to build on a performance that blended star power, depth, and timely execution.